Conditions of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff were retained on zero-hour contracts by (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies had no staff retained on zero hour contracts in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
	In 2012-13 the Department's executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies had no staff retained on zero hour contracts and the core Department had two.
	One of these was Sir Ken Knight, chief fire and rescue adviser. He moved onto a zero-hour contract on 1 November 2012, This was a short-term arrangement so the Department still had access to professional advice until a new appointment had been made and to enable Sir Ken Knight to complete the efficiencies review of the fire and rescues in England.
	Sir Ken's replacement, Peter Holland, started in the Department on 28 January 2013, and Sir Ken worked on the handover of role and on the efficiencies review until his departure on 21 June 2013.
	The other member of staff was a short-term, fixed appointment who was retained on a zero hour contract for 30-days over a period of three months to take lead responsibility for finalising and sign off of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation accounts following closure. The arrangement ended on 31 May 2013.

Electronic Commerce

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's policy is on mitigating the effects of e-commerce on UK high street retailers.

Mark Prisk: Electronic commerce and mobile commerce are changing consumer preferences on how and where they shop. This is changing the nature of retail, and thereby the nature of the high street. But it is not a matter of internet versus high street, it is both a challenge, and an opportunity. The high street can offer so much more: a bustling centre to a community, where people can gather for cultural, entertainment and social activities as well as shopping, eating, and evening activities.
	It is vital that high streets and the retailers who trade there develop their own strategies to adapt to these massive structural changes that they face. Many small businesses and independent retailers are trading very successfully online and many have grown as a result of trading this way. We should recognise that changing technologies have benefited consumers, in the form of greater choice, more convenience and competitive prices. This should be welcomed rather than something to be denigrated.
	This Government has acted to close down the VAT loophole that some online retailers in the Channel Islands were using unfairly to compete against UK-based businesses.
	This continues to be an evolving area, and one in which the role of government is as an enabler. The UK has some of the most competitive and innovative retailers in the world, and it is right that they are free to deliver what customers want, and retailers who are not responsive to that will struggle.
	The Association of Town and City Management are leading a £1 million, two-year programme of work funded by DCLG to support and develop high streets and town centres, providing support on business planning, offering advice and developing 'how to' guides. The programme is designed to develop high streets fit for the 21st century, and will look at how communities can plan to meet their changing needs.
	The Future High Street Forum brings together leaders from retail, property, business, academics, voluntary sector, civil society and government to better understand the competition town centres across the country face and to drive forward new ideas and policies to help the high street compete and adapt. Groups within the forum will look at detailed and practical work in areas such as consolidating research on high street trends.

Retail Trade: Debts

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of current levels of property indebtedness in the high street retail sector.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 1 July 2013
	We do not collect this data.
	The findings from the Distressed Retail Property Taskforce are expected in the autumn. This should provide valuable insights into the key challenges associated with high street property. Government will be looking at these findings to inform ongoing work.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for how long the future high streets forum is expected to run.

Mark Prisk: As agreed at its first meeting, the forum will meet approximately every three months up to April 2015.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how his Department intends to promote the work and recommendations of the future high streets forum.

Mark Prisk: All minutes and papers related to the forum are published on the departmental website. The forum will work together to promote its work and recommendations, and ensure that it is successful in driving forward new ideas and solutions.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects the future high streets forum's practical toolkit to be published.

Mark Prisk: The future high streets forum was established in March 2013, and brings together leaders across retail, property and business to better understand the competition faced by town centres across the country and drive forward new ideas and policies. The forum has established three task and finish groups. One of which has committed to creating a compelling vision of what the town centre and high street of the future will look like, supported by templates (previously referred to as a toolkit) that can be used by individual towns to develop their local visions.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost of the future high streets forum.

Mark Prisk: The Future High Streets Forum was established in March 2013 and brings together leaders across retail, property and business to better understand the competition faced by town centres across the country and drive forward new ideas and policies. All members are giving their time unpaid. There are therefore no costs currently associated with the forum.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria were used to decide the membership of the future high streets forum.

Mark Prisk: The Future High Streets Forum was established in March 2013 and brings together leaders across retail, property and business to better understand the competition faced by town centres across the country and drive forward new ideas and policies. It is co-chaired by me and Alliance Boots executive Alex Gourlay. The membership reflects individual expertise as well as seeking to achieve a balanced representation across retail, property, business, academics, voluntary sector, civil society and government.

Urban Areas: Regeneration

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the membership of the task and finish groups of the future high streets forum will be.

Mark Prisk: The Future High Streets Forum has established three Task and Finish Groups, with membership at their first meetings as follows:
	Task and Finish Group 1, looking at supporting local leadership: the Association of Town and City Management, British BIDs, Business in the Community, the Co-operative, Costa Coffee at Whitbread, the Federation of Small Businesses, Gloucester (GFirst) Local Enterprise Partnership, the Local Government Association, the National Market Traders Federation, the National Skills Academy for Retail, Post Office Ltd.
	Task and Finish Group 2, looking at barriers and enablers to success: the Association of Convenience Stores, the Association of Market Towns, the Association of Town and City Management, Boots, the British Council of Shopping Centres, the British Independent Retailers Association, the British Property Federation, Dartford Council, Enterprise Nation, John Lewis Partnership, Live Unlimited, Locality, the National Association of British Market Authorities, Stanhope plc.
	Task and Finish Group 3, looking at research and the future of the high street: the Association of Town and City Management, the British Retail Consortium, Colliers International, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Communities and Local Government, Portas Agency, Southampton University, Tesco, Vodafone.
	The chairman of each Task and Finish Group may change the membership as required to respond to changing priorities in the future.

Common Fisheries Policy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the UK fishing industry has received from (a) the Government and (b) the Common Fisheries Policy in the last 10 years.

Richard Benyon: Since 1 January 2000 the UK fishing industry has benefited from financial assistance from two European Union funding schemes that have been set up to support the delivery of the Common Fisheries Policy, and associated matched funding from central Government and other public bodies such as local authorities.
	In the UK, many elements of fisheries management are devolved and therefore funded by devolved Administrations.
	The table outlines how much funding the English(1) fishing industry has received.
	(1) The information provided is limited to England as full data for the UK is not held centrally as both FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) and the EFF (European Fisheries Fund) are devolved schemes in the UK.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Scheme European Union Funding Central Government funding (DEFRA) Other public funding (e.g. local authorities) Total 
			 FIFG(1) 31.274 8.126 15.973 55.373 
			 EFF(2) 14.214 9.436 2.006 25.656 
			 Total 45.488 17.562 17.979 81.029 
			 (1) The Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance Scheme—covered the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006 and was succeeded by the European Fisheries Fund. (2) The European Fisheries Fund—covering the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 and will be succeeded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

Mobile Phones

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to his Department.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA has a contract with Vodafone under the Government Procurement Services framework arrangement RM526/L1 for Mobile Solutions II and a contract with Orange Personal Communications Ltd.
	Vodafone is the main provider for mobile phone and data services to core DEFRA. Orange provides these services where the Vodafone coverage is weak.
	The current contract arrangements are in place until 30 March 2015 for Vodaphone and 16 January 2014 for Orange.

Sea Level: Poole

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the expected long-term sea level rise in Poole Bay; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The UK Climate Projections (UKCP09) provide the current assessment of long-term sea level rise. Although the recent measured rise in sea level has been about 1.5 mm each year we estimate that by the end of this century it will be rising by 10 mm each year. By 2060 we expect sea levels to be at least 200 mm higher and probably over 400 mm higher, than they were in 1990. Sea levels could be over 700 mm higher by 2100.
	Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) provide a large-scale assessment of the physical risks associated with coastal processes and present a long term policy framework to reduce these risks. The SMP covering Poole Bay concluded that most of the developed coastline should continue to be defended, although some defences may need to be moved or altered. It also recognised the uncertainty about how some areas, in particular around Poole Harbour mouth, will evolve.

Water Supply

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure the UK's future water supplies are protected.

Richard Benyon: There are a range of controls in place in the UK to prevent contamination of water resources.
	The Water Bill, introduced into the House of Commons on 27 June, will help to reduce the risks and pressures placed on our water supplies by encouraging new companies to enter the water sector. These new companies: might offer new water sources or innovative ways for dealing with waste water; will make it easier for water companies to trade water with each other, increasing flexibility in the system particularly during periods of drought; and will make it easier for owners of small scale water storage who have excess capacity to sell water into the water supply market.
	The Bill also places a new duty on the Secretary of State, the Welsh Ministers and Ofwat to work to improve resilience. This may include promoting long-term planning and appropriate investment and the full range of appropriate measures to manage water resources and to secure effectual drainage; for example, relevant activities to reduce consumer demand and to ensure the effective management of water resources both within the network and in the wider water environment.
	Furthermore water companies have a statutory duty to maintain adequate supplies of wholesome water and are currently consulting on their new long-term water resources management plans for the period 2015-40. All of this will help to ensure that the UK's future water supplies are protected.

Alcoholic Drinks: Rehabilitation

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to maximise the number of patients offered alcohol-related treatment or referral to a support service.

Anna Soubry: Public Health England (PHE) is the new Executive Agency of the Department of Health with the role of supporting local authorities responsible for public health. Provision of alcohol treatment is the responsibility of local authorities, which commission interventions to meet assessed local needs.
	PHE will support local authorities through their work programme which includes a range of actions such as:
	implementation of the Alcohol Health Check in line with guidance;
	significant expansion of identification and brief advice for alcohol problems across the health (particularly in primary care) and social care and criminal justice sectors;
	promoting effective models of hospital-based alcohol services, working in liaison with specialist community treatment services;
	increased involvement of primary care in providing alcohol interventions; and
	improving the targeting and accessibility of specialist alcohol treatment services in line with National Institute for Care Excellence guidance (including using primary care as access point for entry into treatment, or providing treatment interventions).

Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will work with his counterparts in the devolved administrations to issue a UK-wide campaign on the signs and symptoms of cancer.

Anna Soubry: There are no plans for a United Kingdom-wide signs and symptoms campaign on cancer. Public Health England works closely with the devolved administrations to ensure consistency of messaging on campaigns.

Cancer: Drugs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on plans to introduce a value-based pricing system for medicines currently funded by the Cancer Drugs Fund;
	(2)  if he will estimate the saving to the NHS of introducing a value-based pricing system for medicines currently funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund;
	(3)  what representations he has received regarding the transition arrangements for medicines currently funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund, when the Fund ceases operation in 2014.

Norman Lamb: Value-based pricing will focus primarily on new medicines; therefore no estimate of any savings relating to medicines currently funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund has been made.
	It is possible that a small number of existing drugs could be assessed under value-based pricing. However, we expect any such cases to be exceptional, and it is not our intention routinely to re-assess under value-based pricing treatments already appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
	We have received a number of representations from hon. Members, noble Lords, members of the public, patient groups and the pharmaceutical industry with regard to the future of the Fund.

Death: Social Class

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of social class on the likely incidence of death due to (a) cancer, (b) heart disease and (c) other causes.

Anna Soubry: The 2010 Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England “(Fair Society, Healthy Lives)” led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot observed a social gradient in health—the lower the person's social position, the worse his or her health. There is a clear social gradient in the incidence of both cancer and circulatory disease (heart disease and stroke), and in other diseases. Cancer represents around half of all deaths in the under 75s. Cardio-vascular disease is the largest single cause of long-term ill health and disability. The burden of disease falls disproportionately on people living in deprived conditions.
	The Call to Action to reduce avoidable premature mortality in the under 75s “(Living Well for Longer, 2013)” aims to reduce avoidable mortality in the five, big killer diseases across the social gradient, to match the best in Europe.. These diseases are cancer, heart, stroke, respiratory and liver disease. The Call to Action confirms this social gradient in each of these major causes of premature death. For example, more than twice as many people from the poorest backgrounds die of circulatory disease as those from the most affluent backgrounds.
	This Call for Action is a priority for the new health system and builds on current work such as the National Cancer Equality Initiative, which makes it clear that tackling health inequality is essential to improving outcomes and achieving cancer survival rates that match the best performing countries in the world; and the NHS and Public Health Outcomes Frameworks. Working in partnership across the system, we will improve access to healthcare and treatment and tackle unhealthy lifestyles—such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity, which also show a social gradient—while’ addressing the social determinants of health across Government.
	The 2012 Health and Social Care Act introduced the first ever, statutory health inequalities duties. The duties on NHS England and clinical commissioning groups include consideration of the need to reduce inequalities in both access to health services and the outcomes achieved and will make tackling health inequalities central to the functioning of the national health service.

Epilepsy: Pregnant Women

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of pregnant women between the ages of 18 to 54 taking anti-epileptic drugs received information and counselling about contraception and conception in 2012.

Anna Soubry: This information is not held centrally.
	Clinicians are responsible for meeting the individual health care needs of their patients, and would be expected to provide high quality contraception and conception advice to patients with epilepsy as part of their programme of care.

Epilepsy: Pregnant Women

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the advice on training given to prescribing physicians under the quality and outcomes framework on the effect of anti-epileptic medications during pregnancy.

Norman Lamb: The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produce guidance which sits alongside the Quality and Outcomes Framework on the prescribing of anti-epileptic drugs during pregnancy. NHS England has advised that they would expect clinicians to follow NICE guidance. The guidance can be found at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG137
	In addition, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists runs a training programme for clinicians which includes modules on prescribing anti-epileptic medicine during pregnancy.

Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many companies are signed up to the calorie reduction pledge in the Responsibility Deal.

Anna Soubry: Thirty-four companies are currently signed up as partners to the Responsibility Deal calorie reduction pledge. We are seeking further sign up to the pledge from across all sectors of the food industry, in particular businesses providing food in out of home settings.
	Signatories to the calorie reduction pledge can be found at:
	https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/pledges/pledge/?pI=23

Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget has been allocated for the delivery of the Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Anna Soubry: In 2013-14 the Department has allocated funding of up to £200,000 to cover costs relating to the central running of the Public Health Responsibility Deal.
	Implementation of the Responsibility Deal pledges will be carried out by partner organisations and the costs of doing this will be incurred by these organisations.

Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on achieving the calorie reduction pledge in the Responsibility Deal; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Responsibility Deal calorie reduction pledge enables business to contribute to our challenge to the nation, issued as part of the “Call to action on obesity in England” in 2011, to reduce total calorie consumption by 5 billion calories a day.
	In total, 34 companies have made commitments so far under the pledge and are taking steps such as product and menu reformulation, reviewing portion sizes, education and information initiatives, and actions to shift the marketing mix towards lower calorie options. It is not possible to measure the exact contribution of business' actions to changes in consumers' calorie consumption.
	Departmental Ministers and officials are currently engaged in discussions with food producers, retailers and others to help ensure the largest number of companies .make credible commitments against the pledge.
	Details of companies' annual updates on how they are helping to deliver the calorie reduction pledge are available at:
	https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/pledges/pledge/?pI=23

Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed for the delivery of the Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Anna Soubry: The Responsibility Deal is supported by a central programme team which consists of four full-time equivalent members of staff employed to support its delivery.
	The networks receive support from the obesity and food, alcohol, health at work and physical activity policy teams as required.

NHS England

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the roles of Interim Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive of NHS England were subject to the required processes in respect of (a)  advertising and (b) interviewing.

Daniel Poulter: Appointments to the roles of chief operating officer and deputy chief executive are the responsibility of NHS England. NHS England advise that the interim appointment in March 2013 of Barbara Hakin to the post of chief operating officer and deputy chief executive was in line with its policy on making interim appointments. This does not require external advertising or interview where a suitable internal candidate has been identified.

NHS: Managers

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to the NHS on avoiding conflicts of interest in making managerial appointments.

Daniel Poulter: National health service organisations have robust arrangements for addressing possible conflicts of interest in making managerial appointments based on long standing guidance issued by the Department.
	In 1994, revised in 2002 and 2004, the ‘Code of Conduct for NHS Boards’ required that board directors declare any
	“personal or business interest which may influence, or may be perceived to influence, their judgement”
	and that
	“when a conflict of interest is established, the board director should...play no part in the relevant discussion or decision”.
	In 2002, the ‘Code of Conduct for NHS managers’ for inclusion in employment contracts included the principle that NHS managers
	“be honest and act with integrity”
	and that they uphold the best interests of the public and patients/clients in decision making and that decisions are not improperly influenced by gifts or inducements.
	In 2003, ‘Governing the NHS: A guide for NHS Boards’ required that board members register personal financial interests.

Obesity

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (b) the British Medical Association and (c) NHS trusts on the quality and outcome framework indicators on obesity.

Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not discussed the introduction of new obesity indicators into the Quality and Outcomes Framework with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Medical Association or NHS trusts. This is because NICE is responsible for managing the independent process for developing and reviewing the evidence base for the Quality and Outcomes Framework clinical and public health related indicators. NICE'S independent advisory committee recommends new indicators or changes to existing indicators.
	NHS Employers then negotiate with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association on which of the published indicators should be applied nationally and what the financial value and payment thresholds for those indicators should be. NHS Employers negotiate on behalf of NHS England and the devolved Administrations.

Obesity

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has (a) carried out and (b) commissioned studies on a link between school sports participation and lowered obesity levels and physical inactivity.

Anna Soubry: The Department funds the Change4Life Sports Club Programme in schools. The programme is independently evaluated by Canterbury and Christchurch University—Sport, Physical Education and Activity Research Centre. The evaluation reported that the Change4Life clubs effectively target and engage the least active children (those not achieving the UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines). The programme impacts on physical activity levels of young people. In the first year of the programme the numbers of non-sporty young people now choosing to take part in sport each week increased by 166%.
	The Department has not carried out or commissioned any studies specifically looking at a link between school sports participation and obesity.

MITIE Group

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spend on contracts with MITIE; and how much was spent on contracts with MITIE in each year since 2008.

Oliver Heald: The information requested is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 £ 
			  TSol AGO HMCPSI CPS 
			 2008-09 — 18,583 — 74,736 
			 2009-10 — — — 77,778 
			 2010-11 — — 5,225 32,721 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 — — 5,280 1,102 
			 2012-13 70,791 — — 53,571 
		
	
	The Serious Fraud Office have not incurred any expenditure with the MITIE group during this period.

Serco

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments currently spends on contracts with Serco; and how much was spent in each year since 2008.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has spent £4,703 with Serco group companies since 2008-09. During this time Serco have supplied facilities management services including waste removal and minor works. Current expenditure is approximately £1,000 per annum. The following table summarises total expenditure with Serco group companies for each financial year since 2008-09.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 478 
			 2009-10 1,000 
			 2010-11 1,067 
			 2011-12 979 
			 2012-13 878 
		
	
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department records show only one payment made to Serco Ltd during this period, which was for £50 in 2008-09.
	The remaining Law Officer's Departments have hot incurred any expenditure with Serco Ltd since 2008.

Charities: Investment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the accounts of common investment funds are publicly available.

Sajid Javid: The accounts of a Common Investment Fund are made available by the appointed investment fund manager of the fund.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Statement of 27 June 2013 on Investing in Britain's Future, what total Barnett Consequentials will be awarded to Northern Ireland as a result.

Danny Alexander: The Northern Ireland Executive capital settlement for 2015-16 was set out in the Chancellor's spending round statement on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-15. Where projects announced in Investing in Britain's Future involve spending commitments in 2015-16, the Northern Ireland Executive will have received the Barnett Consequential as part of this settlement in the normal way.
	Where projects also involve spending beyond 2015-16, the Northern Ireland Executive will benefit from Barnett Consequentials as part of their capital settlement at future spending reviews.

Public Finance

George Galloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects his policies will begin to reduce Government debt and see a resumption of average growth in the economy.

Sajid Javid: As set out in OBR's March 2013 forecast, GDP is expected to grow by 0.6% in 2013, 1.8% in 2014, 2.3% in 2015, 2.7% in 2016, and 2.8% in 2017. Public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP is forecast to fall in 2017-18. The Government continues to meet the fiscal mandate to achieve cyclically adjusted current balance by the end of five-year rolling horizon.

Public Sector Debt

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of servicing public sector net debt was in each of the last 10 years.

Sajid Javid: Historical data on public sector debt interest and central Government debt interest is set out on the supplementary table of the latest public sector finances statistical bulletin, available on the Office for National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/psa/public-sector-finances---supplementary-table/may-2013/index.html
	Figures can be found on variable JW2R and NMFX in the following table:
	
		
			 £ billion 
			  Public sector debt interest JW2R Central Government debt interest NMFX 
			 2003-04 22.7 22.0 
			 2004-05 24.9 24.0 
			 2005-06 26.4 25.5 
			 2006-07 28.6 27.7 
			 2007-08 31.4 30.2 
			 2008-09 31.7 30.9 
			 2009-10 30.9 30.5 
			 2010-11 45.7 45.2 
			 2011-12 48.3 47.7 
			 2012-13 47.4 47.0

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of items of unopened post at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC); and what recent assessment he has made of the ability of HMRC to deal with queries and correspondence in a timely manner.

David Gauke: HMRC performance targets for handling correspondence are published in HMRC's Business Plan. They are:
	Answering 80% of all correspondence in 15 working days and 95% in 40 working days.
	In 2012-13, HMRC answered 85% of all correspondence in 15 working days and 97.1% in 40 working days.
	HMRC periodically publishes performance statistics, including:
	the number and proportion of post items (including letters) to HMRC from customers which remained unanswered at the end of each quarter at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/bus-plan-qds.htm
	And now at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-plan-indicators
	HMRC plans to publish quarter 1 results for 2013-14 in August 2013.
	HMRC's target is to open post received within 24 hours, currently opening 96% on the day of receipt with the remaining 4% opened the next day. HMRC is meeting that target and there are no backlogs in post rooms.

Tax Avoidance

Naomi Long: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government plans to take to bring about increased transparency in taxation, particularly in Crown Dependencies, during the UK's G8 presidency.

David Gauke: The Government works very closely with the Crown Dependencies and the Overseas Territories on an ongoing basis including as part of the G8 process over recent months. They have all agreed to automatically exchange information with the UK and others and therefore play an active role in the emerging new global standard for the automatic exchange of tax information. They have also committed to join the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters as rapidly as possible. Finally, on 18 June the Crown Dependencies all published Action Plans setting out concrete steps to tackle misuse of companies and legal arrangements The Government will continue to pursue greater transparency in taxation in all relevant international fora.

Welfare State: Wales

Si�n James: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a cumulative impact assessment of the effect on welfare changes since 2010 in Wales.

Sajid Javid: This Government has taken unprecedented steps to increase transparency and enable effective scrutiny of its policy-making. It has gone further in this regard than previous governments by publishing regular distributional analysis of the impact of its reforms.
	This Government do not publish cumulative analysis of welfare changes split by region. The latest estimates of the distributional impact of tax credit and benefits changes since 2010 were published at Spending Round 2013 and can be found on HM Treasury's website.

Animal Experiments

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding her Department has provided for the development of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures in each year between 2009 and 2012; how much of that funding has been provided to the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office make payments of £250,000 per annum to the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research.
	A significant part of the resource in the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit is working towards the development of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives (the 3Rs) to the use of animals in scientific procedures. Home Office Inspectors do this as part of their inspection role and when assessing applications for project licences. Policy staff, in association with colleagues in other Government Departments, are actively taking forward the coalition commitment published in 2010 to work towards reducing the use of animals in research which involves promoting all 3Rs. It is not possible to quantify the value of this resource but we believe it is significant.

Bullying

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish draft guidance on bullying for the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill by 31 August 2013.

Jeremy Browne: holding answer 1 July 2013
	We will be publishing guidance on all the new powers set out in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill. The guidance on the new Injunction to Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance will include how it could be used to deal with bullying. We expect to publish draft guidance before the Bill reaches report stage in the House of Commons.

Common Travel Area

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with (a) the government of the Irish Republic and (b) the Northern Ireland Executive on the Common Travel Area.

Mark Harper: Home Office officials are in regular contact with Irish Government officials taking forward joint work on the Common Travel Area, which is underpinned and driven by the programme of work in the joint ministerial statement signed by the then UK Minister for Immigration Damian Green MP and the Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter TD, in Dublin on 20 December 2011. The Northern Ireland Executive has been briefed on this.

Conditions of Employment

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by her Department on zero hours contracts.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 24 June 2013
	The Home Office does not retain any staff on zero-hour contracts.

Counter-terrorism

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support her Department has given to universities to help implement the Prevent strategy; and what steps she has taken to monitor implementation.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	As set out in the Prevent Strategy (2011), BIS leads in the delivery of Prevent in higher education and further education. We support universities and colleges to implement and embed the strategy in a number of ways.
	We have appointed 10 regional coordinators to provide guidance and support to institutions for all issues relating to Prevent. This includes managing the risks associated with external speakers and room booking procedures. They offer training for all staff to raise awareness of Prevent and promote engagement by working up light touch action plans with institutions. Co-ordinators provide regular reports on how implementation of the strategy is progressing in the sector.
	A BIS-funded Safe Campus Communities website was produced by Universities UK (UUK) as a resource for the sector to bring together available guidance and offer case studies of best practice. It includes a forum encouraging knowledge sharing. In addition, UUK will be publishing guidance for universities on external speakers this summer.
	BIS funds the National Union of Students (NUS) to support students' unions in understanding their responsibilities in relation to Prevent and charities legislation. This includes guidance on speaker and room bookings, training for incoming sabbatical officers and staff, issuing information and advice to students' unions, and running or contributing to a number of trainings and events for students' unions and the wider sector.
	Universities and student unions are also given advice and support by the Charities commission on meeting their responsibilities as charities in relation to ensuring that their activities and funds are not for the purposes of furthering terrorism or extremism.

Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Serious Organised Crime Agency has (a) compiled a report and (b) given a report to the Leveson Inquiry concerning illegal information gathering by private detectives at the behest of a range of clients.

James Brokenshire: The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) produced a confidential report in 2008 entitled “Private Investigators: The Rogue Element of the Private Investigation Industry and Others Unlawfully Trading in Personal Data”. The report was made available, in confidence, to the Leveson Inquiry in March 2012 by SOCA. A redacted version of that report was produced for public information in July 2012 and is available on the SOCA website.

Drugs: Crime

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug offences relating to Class A substances have been reported in (a) Harlow and (b) Essex since 2001; and what proportion of national offences relating to Class A substances such figures represent.

Jeremy Browne: The information requested is not available centrally. The police recorded crime data collected by the Home Office contains the number of drug offences recorded but it is not possible to identify the class of the drug involved.

Entry Clearances

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she made of the effectiveness of the visa system in helping to increase tourism and business from (a) China, (b) India and (c) other priority markets.

Mark Harper: We operate a highly effective visa system for all categories, including in China, India and our priority markets—for example, in 2012 we processed 95% of tourist visit visa and 96% of business visit visa applications within 15 days, and visa applicants can apply for our Priority Visa Service (three to five days) in over 50 countries. We continue to review and develop the products available.
	In April 2013 in China we launched a new VIP Mobile Biometric Enrolment and Passport Pass Back service for Premium Customers; in May 2013 we launched a new same day Super Priority Visa service in Delhi, which we have subsequently expanded to Mumbai and Chennai. We will assess the impact of these new Premium Products during 2013.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of applications for student visas were dismissed in each of the last five years.

Mark Harper: The latest published figures for outcomes of visa applications (including refusals) for study (excluding Student visitors), in each of the last five years appear in the following table:
	
		
			 Visa applications and resolution, for study (excluding student visitors(1)), main applicants and dependants, 2008-12 
			  Applications Resolved Issued Percentage Refused Percentage Withdrawn/ lapsed 
			 2008 343,273 332,872 231,975 70 98,646 30 2,257 
			 2009 428,819 414,335 303,361 73 103,259 25 7,715 
			 2010 367,187 391,602 285,544 73 90,451 23 15,607 
			 2011 310,958 318,360 261,870 82 51,017 16 5,473 
			 2012 234,684 235,652 209,804 89 24,013 10 1,835 
			 (1 )Student visitors are allowed to come to the UK for six months (or 11 months if they will be studying an English Language course) and cannot extend their stay. Source: Table be_01_q. ‘Immigration Statistics’, January to March 2013 
		
	
	The latest Home Office immigration statistics, including those for entry clearance visas, are published in the release Immigration Statistics January to March 2013, which is available from the Library of the House and on the Department's website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Eurojust

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on when the European Commission first published a draft regulation on reforming the structure of Eurojust; what progress has been made with negotiations on the draft regulation; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the draft regulation.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 1 July 2013
	The Commission has yet to publish its new proposal to reform Eurojust. It is expected to be published soon, after which negotiations will commence. Upon publication it will be deposited with the Scrutiny Committees under cover of an explanatory memorandum in the usual way. The proposal will trigger an opt in decision, on which it is anticipated that debates will take place in both Houses.

Extradition: USA

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people were extradited from the US to the UK in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013 to date; and how many such people were US nationals;
	(2)  how many people were extradited from the UK to the US in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013 to date; and how many such people were UK nationals.

Mark Harper: In 2012 four people were extradited from the US to the UK. None of these people were US nationals. In 2013 (up to 26 June) four people were extradited from the US to the UK. One person was a US national.
	For the purposes of this question, the extradition figures apply to England and Wales and Northern Ireland only. Scotland deals with its own extradition cases.
	In 2012 20 people were extradited from the UK to the US, 12 of these people were UK nationals. In 2013 (up to 26 June) seven people were extradited from the UK to the US. Three of these people were UK nationals.
	For the purposes of this question, the extradition figures apply to England and Wales and Northern Ireland only. Scotland deals with its own extradition cases.

Greenwich University

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Greenwich University had a Prevent strategy agreed with her Department; and whether it had a dedicated police liaison officer to assist with its implementation.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Greenwich university have, like other institutions, been in close contact over the past few years with their local police Prevent engagement officer and are working with the BIS higher education co-ordinator for London to look at their policies and procedures and to mitigate and manage the risks of extremism on their campus.

Hezbollah

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has considered proscribing Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.

James Brokenshire: The UK proscribed Hezbollah’s External Security Organisation in 2001. In 2008 the proscription Was extended to include the whole of Hezbollah’s military apparatus, namely the Jihad Council and all the units reporting to it.
	It is Government policy not to comment on whether or not a group is under consideration for proscription.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the number of victims of trafficking who have been compelled to take part in criminal activities in each year since 2010.

Mark Harper: 74 individuals referred to the National Referral Mechanism between 2010 and 2012 have received a Positive Conclusive Grounds Decision where criminality is listed as the exploitation sub type.
	The figures broken down by year are:
	2010: five;
	2011: 33;
	2012: 36.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many businesses in Northern Ireland have received fines or other penalties for employing illegal labour in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Mark Harper: The information requested is in the following table. The figures are based on the number of civil penalties served following visits to business addresses in Northern Ireland.
	The Civil Penalty Compliance Team has issued 41 civil penalties from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2013, totalling £335,000.
	
		
			 As at 1 June to 31 May each year Penalties issued in Northern Ireland 
			 2010-11 9 
			 2011-12 11 
			 2012-13 21 
			 Total 41 
			 Note: The figures provided are sourced from a Home Office management information system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and is subject to change due to internal data quality checking. Figures provided from this source do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated as provisional. 
		
	
	Please note the figures are for penalties issued at the initial decision stage which may be reduced, cancelled, increased or reissued at the objection or appeal stage.

Immigrants: English Language

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2013, Official Report, column 804W, on conditions of employment: English language, if she will make it her policy to require all immigrants to the UK to speak English in the workplace.

Mark Harper: The Immigration Rules contain provisions which require migrants applying to come to the UK to work under the points-based system to have an appropriate level of English, generally at B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages which is a level at which individuals can be expected to deal with daily routine matters within the workplace. Pre-entry English requirements also apply to certain other immigration categories which confer permission to work, for example those coming as partners and spouses of British citizens and people settled here.
	These measures aim to ensure that migrants with a route to permanent residence in the UK are able to speak English and integrate into UK society but behaviour within the workplace is a matter for individual employers.

Immigration

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of co-operation between authorities in the Irish Republic and the UK to counter illegal immigration.

Mark Harper: The UK and Ireland's relationship is unique and long-standing; there is excellent government and operational level co-operation to prevent those seeking to abuse the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangement from doing so by strengthening the external CTA border, while preserving the right of free movement within it for those who are lawfully present.

Immigration Controls

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what border checks are conducted for those who leave the UK.

Mark Harper: Home Office Immigration Enforcement regularly conducts manual embarkation checks on passengers on an intelligence-led basis, targeting routes that are known to be used by immigration offenders.
	This ensures that immigration offenders are prevented from returning to the UK for a defined period.
	More generally, the use of advance passenger information supports our ability to undertake effective exit checks as passengers leave the UK.

Immigration: Married People

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government is taking to reduce the arrangement of marriages primarily for immigration purposes.

Mark Harper: The Government recognises the risk that sham marriages, arranged primarily for immigration purposes, pose to our immigration system and their links to wider criminality, such as fraud and benefit abuse. We are working closely with our partners across government and with local registration services and the Anglican Church, to identify and tackle sham marriages at the earliest point.

Immigration: Married People

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence the Government has collected on the number of marriages arranged primarily for immigration purposes.

Mark Harper: Under section 24 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 registrars are required to report to the Home Office any persons they have reasonable grounds to suspect are entering into a marriage arranged primarily for immigration purposes. Section 24 reports are investigated and, where appropriate, action is taken. We received 384 section 24 reports in 2007; 344 in 2008; 561 in 2009; 934 in 2010; 1,741 in 2011; and 1,891 in 2012.

Immigration: Married People

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people with a spousal visa have not been given leave to remain at the end of their probationary period in each year since 2008.

Mark Harper: holding answer 1 July 2013
	Information on how many individuals with a spousal visa were refused leave to remain at the end of their probationary period is not aggregated in national reporting systems. This information could only be obtained by a disproportionately expensive manual case by case search to collate the data.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral statement and contributions of 24 June 2013, Official Report, columns 25-37, on undercover policing, by what date she expects to have finalised the resource implications for the IPCC in relation to the duties outlined in the statement; and what those duties will be.

Damian Green: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has received a referral from the Metropolitan police of the allegations made of the deployment of undercover officers against the Lawrence family and of the withholding of that deployment from the Macpherson inquiry. It is for the IPCC to decide the appropriate mode of investigation for that complaint and, if they decide to investigate themselves, the appropriate resource necessary to carry out an investigation.

Passports

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had to ensure that the passport system is robustly enforced.

Mark Harper: Her Majesty's Passport Office is responsible for the UK passport application and issuing process and provides a gold standard approach recognised nationally and internationally for its security and robustness. HM Passport Office works closely with departmental colleagues and with law enforcement agencies in the UK and with EU partners and other international colleagues through the International Civil Aviation Organisation to ensure that the highest standards of security are applied to the British passport and UK citizens are able to travel overseas without undue hindrance.
	Passport holders benefit from a high quality of service. This is subject to public reporting of key performance indicators and supported by customer service intelligence carried out to monitor and improve delivery of passport services. The performance of HM Passport Office is set out in its Annual Report and Accounts which will be submitted to Parliament in accordance with section 7 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000.

Passports

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appointment slots are available each week at Hull passport office; and what the average waiting time for an appointment is (a) at Hull passport office and (b) nationally.

Mark Harper: In the financial year 2013-14 to date, the average number of interview appointments available in the Hull Interview Office has been 23 per week. Following a review of our service provision we have recently increased the number of appointments to 39 per week.
	Her Majesty's Passport Office has two larger offices in Leeds and Sheffield where appointments are available within the average waiting time nationally which is 8.5 days. The Hull office is a smaller local facility open part-time for those who do not need an appointment within this timescale. The average waiting time in the Hull office to date in 2013-14 has been 24 days.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department takes to ensure that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) comply with their legal responsibilities to publish financial information and disclose details of their own interests and allowances; and whether her Department has any plans to publish a list of non-compliant PCCs.

Damian Green: holding answer 25 June 2013
	The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011 require Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to publish information specified by the Home Secretary, including a register of interests, budgets and decisions of significant public interest. This is a legal obligation which is ultimately enforceable by the courts.
	The Act also introduced a Police and Crime Panel in every police area to scrutinise the actions and decisions of the PCC. The panel has the power to question the commissioner and report publicly on the commissioner's performance of his or her statutory duties. This ensures that the local electorate is able to hold the commissioner to account at the ballot box.

Police: Intelligence Services

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many different police intelligence services are currently in operation in England and Wales; and how many such forces automatically share intelligence with other police forces via a central computer system.

Damian Green: In England and Wales each of the 43 geographic police forces, plus the British Transport police, the Ministry of Defence police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency including the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre operate police intelligence services. All such forces and law enforcement agencies manage and share intelligence on national databases, having regard to the Code of Practice on the Management of Police Information, as appropriate.

Police: Recruitment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data is collected on recruitment of police (a) from ethnic minorities and (b) based on (i) gender and (ii) ability to speak the Welsh language.

Damian Green: The Home Office collects figures for the number of police officers (full-time equivalent) recruited as a police standard direct recruit, those previously a special constable, by police force area, and all minority ethnic and gender groups. These data appear in the attached table for the latest available financial year, 2011-12.
	Data on police recruitment based on the ability to speak the Welsh language are not collected by the Home Office.
	
		
			 Number of police officers recruited as a police standard direct recruit and police—previously special constable, by police force area, all minority ethnic and gender, 2011-12(1, 2, 3,4, 5) 
			  All minority ethnic Male Female 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 15 9 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 36 11 
			 Cheshire 1 20 9 
			 Cleveland 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Durham 0 5 5 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 12 6 
			 Essex 0 12 6 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 10 10 
			 Hertfordshire 2 16 5 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 
			 Kent 0 14 6 
			 Lancashire 1 31 19 
			 Leicestershire 3 19 21 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 
			 London, City of 0 0 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 233 990 400 
			 Norfolk 0 16 7 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 2 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 8 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 1 99 39 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 8 92 58 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 0 10 2 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 15 9 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent (FTE) figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Police standard direct recruit includes special constables joining as a police officer and are recorded under this category if they have not been a special constable for a year or more. (3) Police—previously special constables includes special constables joining as a police officer if they have been a special constable within the last year. Includes special constables joining from another force as a police officer. This only applies to new officers, not to officers rejoining or transferring. (4) Source—Home Office via Annual Data Requirement (ADR 521). These figures are not regularly published and should be treated as provisional. (5) Figures for police officer joiners, for 2011-12, by police force area, rank and gender (including transfers) are published each year in Table 5 of 'Police Service Strength, England and Wales' (to be retitled 'Police Workforce, England and Wales').

Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire: For the most recently available 12 month period (July 2012 to June 2013), the Home Department spent £66,057 on newspapers, periodicals and trade magazines.

Security Guards: Licensing

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she plans to introduce legislation in this session to reform regulation of the private security industry;
	(2)  when she plans to publish the response to the consultation on proposals to reform regulation of the private security industry.

James Brokenshire: Legislation designed for the regulation of businesses in the private security industry will be introduced this session.
	A response to the Home Office consultation on a future regulatory regime for the private security industry will be published later in the summer.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made to date on moving the Serious and Organised Crime Agency to the National Crime Agency.

Jeremy Browne: The Government is committed to establishing the National Crime Agency (NCA) by the end of 2013 and is well on track to do so—the NCA will be delivered in October this year. Following Royal Assent of the Crime and Courts Bill on 25 April 2013, the NCA became a legal entity on 27 May 2013. The NCA top team is almost complete and the four new Commands have all been established and are leading shadow operations. Staff and property transfer schemes which will enable (SOCA) staff and assets to be transferred to the NCA will be laid before Parliament shortly.

Stephen Lawrence

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the statement of 24 June 2013, Official Report, columns 25-37, on undercover policing, when she expects the Ellison Report to report.

Damian Green: It is critically important that the Ellison review is thorough and comprehensive in identifying and assessing any evidence of wrongdoing to inform decisions on next steps.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department’s written ministerial statement of 11 July 2012, Official Report, columns 30-31WS, estimated that the review would report in July 2013. As the Secretary of State said in her statement of 24 June 2013, Official Report, columns 25-27, given the need to consider the latest allegations, the review will now be reporting later than intended.

Termination of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) her Department and (ii) the public bodies for which she is responsible left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has taken this to mean:
	“in cases where there was no litigation and where the confidentiality clause prevents the individual from disclosing or discussing the existence, negotiation and terms of settlement”.
	We are unable to provide information on litigation matters in relation to judicial mediation, as this data is not held centrally. When using such clauses, the Home Office and non departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are mindful of business needs and the requirements of law, including accountability to Parliament.
	A compromise agreement and confidentiality clause has been used on the following number of occasions:
	Home Office
	2010-11: 3
	2011-12: 3
	2012-13: 6
	The NDPBs position on record keeping for such matters is as follows, but none have reported judicial mediations, and where numbers are reported they are for compromise agreements and include a confidentiality clause:
	National Policing Improvement Agency
	2010-11: 0
	2011-12: 0
	2012-13: 1
	Serious Organised Crime Agency
	2010-11: 3
	2011-12: 4
	2012-13: 4
	Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)—Existed since 1 December 2012
	Therefore the DBS can only report on a four month period—0.
	Independent Safeguarding Authority
	Nil return
	Criminal Records Bureau
	2010-11: 59
	2011-12: 0
	2013-13: 0
	Security Industry Authority
	2010-11: Nil return
	2011-12: Nil return
	2012-13: 1
	Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
	No data held
	Independent Police Complaints Commission
	The information is held but could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Developing Countries: Nutrition

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the accountability framework for Nutrition for Growth will cover the UN system and private sector institutions in addition to donors and governments; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: All of the commitments made at the Nutrition for Growth event, including those from governments, UN agencies and businesses, are captured in a document published on the government website
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-host-high-level-meeting-on-global-nutrition-and-growth
	This is a tool which stakeholders can use to hold each other to account and is one aspect of the accountability framework.
	Discussions are under way with partners to develop the wider accountability mechanism and institutional home for the commitments made at the event. Further details will be set out at the UN General Assembly in September 2013.

Developing Countries: Nutrition

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to open new bilateral nutrition programmes as part of the UK funding commitment made at the recent Nutrition for Growth Summit.

Justine Greening: On June 8, DFID announced that it will increase its spend on direct nutrition programmes to up to £375 million (a tripling of 2010 levels) from 2013 to 2020. This means a significant scale up of nutrition programmes. We will work closely with DFID country offices, partner governments, donors and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement as part of the decision making process on the allocation of investment.

Developing Countries: Nutrition

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department plans to prioritise any (a) countries and (b) regions to receive the UK funding committed at the recent Nutrition for Growth Summit.

Justine Greening: DFID will continue to prioritise nutrition interventions in countries with a high burden of undernutrition and where we have bilateral programmes. DFID will work closely with its country offices, partner governments, donors and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement as part of the decision making process.

Developing Countries: Nutrition

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that other G8 nations and donors make funding commitments to tackle malnutrition.

Justine Greening: Nutrition for Growth: beating hunger through business and science, held as a pre-G8 event on 8 June, was part of DFID's efforts to ensure that other G8 nations and donors make funding commitments to tackle malnutrition. International financial commitments made by G8 nations, donors, partner governments and civil society organisations amounted to an additional £2.7 billion for programmes to directly tackle malnutrition. In addition, £12.5 billion was committed for programmes in agriculture, sanitation and hygiene and social safety nets, which will also reduce malnutrition.

Legal Costs

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on external lawyers' fees in the last year for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: The central finance records of DFID show expenditure, categorised as external legal costs, totalling £404,849.79 for the year ended 31 March 2013. This excludes amounts paid to internal legal services within government, including fees paid to the Treasury Solicitors department.

Bereavement Benefits

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason people over the age of eligibility to receive a state pension are ineligible to receive a bereavement payment.

Steve Webb: Bereavement payment is payable to a surviving spouse or civil partner over state pension age if their late husband wife or civil partner was not entitled to Category A state pension when they died, and they satisfied the other conditions of entitlement.

Carer’s Allowance

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has any plans to review the carer's allowance.

Esther McVey: The Government has announced that carer's allowance will continue to exist as a separate benefit outside of universal credit. It was thought important that carers should continue to enjoy the recognition and support of a dedicated benefit, but we will be reviewing carer's allowance in the context of the introduction of universal credit.

Construction: Industrial Health and Safety

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reintroduce the provisions contained in the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations.

Mark Hoban: The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 were amended when the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 were revoked. The amendments extend the Personal Protective Regulations 1992 to cover the provision and use of head protection on construction sites, providing the same level of legal protection as previously existed.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 882, on work capability assessment, if he will publish a table of the main reasons why appellants are successful on appeal against Employment and Support Allowance appeals.

Mark Hoban: The provision of feedback on reasons for tribunal's decisions is a matter for the judiciary. Last year the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the President of the Social Entitlement Chambers His Honour Judge Robert Martin agreed to pilot a scheme to provide feedback from tribunals to help inform DWP decision makers about why decisions were being overturned.
	A report focusing on high level explanations from tribunal judges of why decisions by DWP decision makers had been overturned was published by the DWP on 19 November 2012 and can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/196742/sscs_appeals.pdf.pdf

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department in taking to assist those affected by the social sector size criteria to move to smaller homes.

Steve Webb: The changes taken forward in the Localism Act 2011 make it easier for councils and housing associations to move under-occupying tenants, and free up family-sized housing for other households in need.
	The Government has also provided councils with £7.8 million between 2011 and 2013 to help support social tenants who wish to downsize. The Government also continues to fund an action team within the Chartered Institute of Housing to work with all social landlords to help them promote moves.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the Spending Review, 
	(1)  what additional costs will be incurred as a result of (a) Upfront Work Search, (b) jobcentre attendance by lone parents of three and four year olds and (c) weekly signing for half of all jobseekers to be implemented in 2015-16;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the reduction in benefit spending in 2015-16 as a result of (a) Upfront Work Search, (b) weekly signing by jobseekers and (c) new conditionality for lone parents with a youngest child aged three and four years old.

Mark Hoban: The reforms we have announced will deliver over £350 million in annual savings. All these savings will be re-invested in more help for claimants to get back into work, including the cost of the new conditions Jobcentres will be asked to enforce. There will be a phased introduction of these policies from early 2014, with full implementation by April 2015.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the Spending Review, what saving he anticipates will accrue to his Department in 2015-16 as a result of the (a) application of the welfare cap, (b) introduction of a temperature test for the winter fuel payment and (c) new seven day wait before people can claim benefits.

Mark Hoban: The welfare cap will improve spending control, support fiscal consolidation and ensure the welfare system remains affordable. If the Office for Budget Responsibility projects that spending will breach the cap in any year of the forecast horizon, the Government will need to bring forward a response—changing policy or explaining publicly why it judges that action is not appropriate. The Government will announce the level of the cap at Budget 2014.
	The Department estimates that the introduction of a temperature link for the winter fuel payment, will produce savings in the region of £30 million in 2015/16. The level of savings will be assessed and certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility at the autumn statement.
	As published in the OBR policy costing notes, costings for the new seven day waiting period before people receive benefits have been estimated on the basis that from April 2015 new awards of universal credit for claimants that have not had a universal credit claim in the past six months and at least one person in the household is subject to conditionality are reduced by the average amount of universal credit claimed per claimant per week. This would save £245 million in 2015-16.

Unemployment and Early Retirement

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of (a) jobseekers and (b) people taking early retirement in (i) Glasgow North West constituency, (ii) Glasgow, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK; what projections he has made of trends in each category for each of the next five years; and what assessment he has made of the economic factors underlying those trends.

Mark Hoban: The following table shows jobseekers allowance claimants in the Glasgow North West parliamentary constituency, Glasgow City local authority district, Scotland and the UK. The number of people claiming JSA has fallen in all these areas, both in the last year and since May 2010.
	
		
			  May 2010 May 2011 May 2012 May 2013 Change on year 2012-13 Change since May 2010 
			 Glasgow North West 3,502 3,595 3,353 3,136 -217 -366 
			 Glasgow City 24,529 25,029 24,385 22,828 -1,557 -1,701 
			 Scotland 135,541 140,107 141,827 134,410 -7,417 -1,131 
			 UK 1,502,155 1,504,913 1,590,708 1,495,758 -94,950 -6,397 
			 Note: For consistency, figures above are not seasonally adjusted (seasonally adjusted data are only available at a national and regional level, not sub-regional). As such, the UK and Scotland figures will differ from the normally quoted headline numbers. Source: nomisweb.co.uk 
		
	
	The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces an independent forecast of the claimant count. The latest forecast is published at:
	http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/March-2013-EFO-44734674673453.pdf
	OBR forecasts are only available at national level.
	There is no officially recognised definition of “early” retirement. The default retirement age has been abolished. Receiving a state pension at state pension age is not synonymous with retirement from work.
	The following table shows the number of people self-reporting as “retired” before state pension age. People leave the labour market for a variety of reasons. Some who report other reasons for inactivity may in effect be retired, so the figures are likely to be an underestimate. There are no projections for the number of people who will retire early.
	
		
			 “Retired” before State Pension Age (assumed 65 for men, 60 for women) Q2 2010 Q2 2011 Q2 2012 Change since 2010 
			 UK 579,000 603,000 604,000 +25,000 
			 Scotland 53,000 57,000 53,000 +1,000 
			 Notes: 1. These data are subject to sampling variation. Sample sizes were too small to produce figures for Glasgow City or the Glasgow North West parliamentary constituency. 2. State pension age for women is currently increasing from 60 in 2010 to 65 in 2018. For the purposes of showing a consistent comparison over time the figures in the table assume SPA for women remained at 60. Source: Labour Force Survey April-June 2010, 2011, 2012

Welfare State: Reform

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the Spending Review, what criteria he will use to identify the under-performing programmes in his Department mentioned in that Statement; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Department continually assesses the value for money and performance of programmes to ensure that they meet the standards required. Where formal evaluations are undertaken, these are, and will continue to be published.

Winter Fuel Payments

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to paying the winter fuel allowance early to allow the early purchase of fuel stocks when prices are lower.

Steve Webb: We have considered this, and concluded that it would not be feasible to identify subgroups within a flat rate universal benefit. However, we are working with DECC, consumer groups and the industry on initiatives such as encouraging off-grid consumers to pool resources and purchase fuel in bulk to attract lower delivery costs, as discussed at the roundtable chaired by DECC and DEFRA ministers in May.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and changes to the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) system in the UK leads to all hazardous WEEE being obligated and funded post-recast;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and changes to the UK waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) system will minimise adverse environmental effects of WEEE disposal;
	(3)  what meetings officials of his Department have had with representatives of producers and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment facilities to discuss the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU consultation; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects of using percentage targets as maximums on the overall level of waste electrical and electronic equipment collected.

Michael Fallon: The Government consultation, Implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and Changes to the UK WEEE System (BIS/13/762), closed on 21 June 2013. BIS officials are currently evaluating the responses. The Government response to the consultation will be published shortly. It will set out how the Government intends to transpose the recast WEEE Directive in a way that ensures the environmental objectives agreed at the EU level are met whilst minimising the burdens on business.
	BIS officials have had extensive and regular discussions directly with key stakeholders over the 18 months leading up to the publication of the consultation paper in April this year. The consultation document lists key stakeholders that were consulted before publication.

Engineering

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will consider establishing a new post of Government Chief Engineering Officer.

David Willetts: The remit of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser covers all areas of science and engineering. In addition, the network of Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) across Government includes those with expertise in all areas of science. Three of the current CSAs are engineers, including the CSA in BIS. They, like all CSAs, contribute their expertise across Government. The Government therefore does not consider it necessary to create a specific post of Government Chief Engineering Officer. Departments which have a strong need for additional engineering expertise can recruit such. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), for example, have recently appointed a Chief Engineer within the DECC CSA's team.

Post Offices: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the closure of Rhyl Crown post office.

Jo Swinson: The Government is fully committed to modernising the post office network and to safeguarding its future. This is why we are investing £1.34 billion over the next two years to modernise the network, helping the post office to compete in a changing retail market with no programme of closures.
	Ensuring that the heavy losses of the Crown post office segment of the network are eliminated to reach break-even by 2015 is a key element of the strategy to make the network sustainable.
	The Government does not have any role in the franchising proposals for Crown post office branches such as Rhyl. The development and implementation, following local public consultation, of such proposals is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd.

Cycling: Accidents

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on the UK's roads for each of the last 3 years; and what steps the Government has taken to improve cycling safety.

Stephen Hammond: The number of reported pedal cyclists that have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in Great Britain in each of last three years are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of reported pedal cycle casualties in Great Britain: 2010-12 
			 Number of casualties 
			 Pedal cyclists 2010 2011 2012 
			 Killed 111 107 118 
			 Seriously injured 2,660 3,085 3,222 
		
	
	Together with local contributions, earlier this year we announced £40 million of funding for cycle safety schemes in England outside London. The funding will improve the design and layout of roads at 78 locations across the country, with all schemes due for completion within the next 12 months. Also, 94 out of the 96 schemes in the £600 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund include a cycling element.
	We have given local authorities flexibility to introduce 20 mph speed limits in residential areas and a process for applications for further rural 40 mph zones. We have also made it easier for authorities to install Trixi mirrors to improve the visibility of cyclists at junctions. Furthermore, our THINK! campaign, ‘THINK CYCLIST’, highlights the importance of drivers and cyclists looking out for each other.

Railways: Finance

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much each train operator had to pay in rail access charges in each year between 2004 and 2012.

Simon Burns: The data requested refers to transactions between private train operating companies and Network Rail which is not held by the Department. However, information for recent years is contained within Network Rail's Regulatory Financial Statements which are available on their website at:
	http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browsedirectory .aspx?dir=%5Crequlatory%20documents %5Cregulatory %20compliance%20and%20reporting%5Cregulatory%2 0accountsroot

Human Trafficking

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which countries the UK operates a joint investigation team into human trafficking.

Mark Harper: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	The UK is currently operating five joint investigation teams with: Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Sweden.

Children: Human Trafficking

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to prevent the re-trafficking of child victims of trafficking placed in local authority care.

Edward Timpson: Local authorities have well-established child support arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in need of protection, including trafficked children. The arrangements also include preventing and mitigating the risk of them going missing from care.
	Local authorities work in close co-operation with the police and, where appropriate, the immigration service to support and provide protection for potentially trafficked children.
	To improve the care of looked-after children, the Government has embarked on a major programme of reform and as a result of this work, the following consultations have just been launched:
	1. A consultation to strengthen safeguarding in children's homes.
	2. A consultation to strengthen safeguards for looked-after children placed out of authority. This consultation also contains proposals to strengthen scrutiny of decisions to cease looking after 16 and 17-year-olds.
	3. A consultation on revised statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care. This final consultation includes specific advice on how to support and safeguard children who may have been trafficked, and to minimise the risk of these children potentially being re-trafficked.
	Further information can be found-on. the Department's website(1).
	The Government has also asked the Refugee Council and The Children's Society to carry out a review of the practical care arrangements for children in care who may have been trafficked, and we expect this to report shortly.
	(1 )https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/

Ministers' Private Offices

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reduce the number of staff employed in his private ministerial office.

Elizabeth Truss: We have taken significant steps to reduce the cost of staffing the ministerial private office of the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove).
	As shown in the following table, the annual cost of staffing the Secretary of State's ministerial private office has been reduced by more than £120,000 under this Government.
	
		
			 Financial year Staff cost (£) 
			 2012-13 499,976 
			 2011-12 586,539 
			 2010-11 531,491 
			 2009-10 623,966

Schools: Sports

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what regulations are in place regarding compulsory sport and physical education in schools; and what initiatives his Department has in place to encourage (a) more girls to participate in school sports, (b) more sport to be played outdoors and (c) sports for school-leavers.

Edward Timpson: Section 78 of the Education Act 2002 requires all maintained schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. Similarly section 1(6) of the Academies Act 2010 requires academies to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. Under these regulations all maintained schools are required to follow the national curriculum in which physical education (PE) is, and will remain, compulsory at all four stages. This applies equally for boys and girls.
	We trust teachers to know what best suits the particular needs of their pupils, and do not prescribe whether physical activity should take place inside or outside.
	The Government has announced additional ring-fenced funding of £150 million per annum to improve provision of PE and sport in primary schools. The Department of Health is also funding the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation to build on the ‘Changing the Game for Girls’ programme.
	The Department for Culture Media and Sport's Youth and Community Sport Strategy is delivering significant results, including better facilities and more opportunities for young people to play sport regularly beyond school. For example, Sportivate is a £56 million legacy programme that gives 14 to 25-year-olds access to coaching and encourages them to participate in sport beyond school and at local community sports clubs.

Childbirth

Damian Hinds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department (a) collects and (b) holds on the average age of mothers at the birth of their first child in each government office region.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions on what information is (a) collected and (b) held on the average age of mothers at the birth of their first child in each Government office region [163064].
	Birth registration is a legal requirement under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (1836). The registration of births occurring in England and Wales is a service carried out by the Local Registration Service in partnership with the General Register Office (GRO), part of Her Majesty's Passport Office. Information collected at birth registration is recorded on a Registration Online (RON) system by Registrars. Most of the information is normally supplied by the parent(s). Birth registration data are supplied by GRO to the Office for National Statistics for statistical purposes.
	At birth registration in England and Wales, information is collected on the mother's age at the time of birth. However until late May 2012, information on previous children was only collected from mothers giving birth within marriage, so for births outside marriage (47% of alt births in 2011) it was not possible to identify whether a birth was a first or later birth to that mother. In order to estimate birth order for all births, ONS combines the data from birth registrations with survey data, enabling estimation of mean age at first birth at the national level. However it is not possible to produce robust estimates at regional level using this method, so the information requested does not exist.
	In 2011, the standardised mean age at first childbirth in England and Wales as a whole was 27.9 years. Since late May 2012, information on previous children has been collected from all mothers at birth registration, but this new information has not yet been published. The new data may enable a wider range of information on this topic at subnational level to be published in future but there are no plans for regional estimates at present.

Childbirth

Damian Hinds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department (a) collects and (b) holds on the average birth weight of babies in each government office region.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions on what information is (a) collected and (b) held on the average birthweight of babies in each Government office region [163065].
	Birth registration is a legal requirement under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (1836). The registration of births occurring in England and Wales is a service carried out by the Local Registration Service in partnership with the General Register Office (GRO), part of Her Majesty's Passport Office. Information collected at birth registration is recorded on a Registration Online (RON) system by Registrars. Most of the information is normally supplied by the parent(s). Birth registration data are supplied by GRO to the Office for National Statistics for statistical purposes.
	For live births, details of the birthweight are obtained from the birth notification (completed by the midwife or doctor in attendance at the birth). This information is then linked to the birth registration. For stillbirths, details of weight are taken from the medical certificate issued by a doctor or midwife. The certificate is supplied to the registrar by the informant and the weight is recorded electronically when the stillbirth is registered. If the birthweight is missing, but the registration is linked to the birth notification then the birthweight from the notification is taken.
	ONS publishes annual birth statistics showing the number and percentage of live births and stillbirths by birthweight and mother's region of usual residence in the Characteristics of Births 1 Package. Figures for 2011, the latest year, are available in tables 5 and 6 at:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-272512
	ONS does not calculate average birthweight, however the tables included above provide an indication of the distribution of birthweight across the regions.

Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of the recommendations of the Leveson report have been fully implemented by the Government.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 27 June 2013
	Lord Justice Leveson's report (HC779) made findings and recommendations in three areas: on the relationship between the press and the police; on the relationship between the press and politicians; and on the relationship between the press and the public.
	On the relationship between the press and the police, the Secretary of State for the Home Department made clear in her statement to the House in respect of police integrity on 12 February 2013, Official Report, columns 713-15, the Government accepts Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations and will be working closely with the College of Policing, Chiefs' Council, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Independent Police Complaints Commission on implementation.
	On the relationship between the press and politicians, as recommended by Lord Justice Leveson, the Government publishes details of meetings held by Ministers and/or special advisers with editors, proprietors and senior media executives.
	On the relationship between the press and the public, a cross-party Royal Charter was agreed on 18 March.

Exercise: Young Offender Institutions

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding her Department provides and for which programmes to facilitate sports and physical activities in young offenders institutions in the UK.

Hugh Robertson: Sport England is investing £62.9 million in two projects, which work directly with young offenders and young offenders institutions between 2011 and 2017. Through Sportivate, £56 million of lottery funding is being invested over the period 2011-17. As part of this investment, Sportivate has delivered around 20 projects for young offenders, working with both probation services and directly with young offenders’ institutions. Through Get on Track, Sport England is investing £6.9 million of lottery funding over the period 2012-17. Around 10% of the young people engaged in Get On Track have had criminal convictions. Youth offending teams are key local partners in all areas where Get On Track projects are delivered.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance he has given to law enforcement and prosecuting authorities on not proceeding with a prosecution or imposing a penalty in cases where victims of trafficking have been compelled to take part in criminal activities.

Oliver Heald: I have been asked to reply.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has issued comprehensive legal guidance to advise prosecutors of the steps they should take in cases where the police have arrested potential victims of trafficking who have committed criminal offences and referred them for charge. If information suggests that they have been trafficked, prosecutors are advised to make full enquiries and consider whether the case against them should be discontinued. However, a prosecutor can only take these steps if they have information from the police or other sources that a suspect might be a victim of trafficking.
	Following recent cases in the Court of Appeal in which victims of trafficking were prosecuted and convicted, having been advised to plead guilty by their legal representative, the CPS is considering new guidelines for prosecutors, which are to be shared with the police and other law enforcement agencies and the Law Society to ensure a more joined-up approach in these cases.
	Guidance, published in 2011 by the Child Exploitation On-line Protection Centre (CEOP), advises that police should be alert to the possibility that any person, adult or child, identified in a cannabis farm could be a victim of trafficking and the steps that they should take.

MITIE Group

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spends on contracts with MITIE; and how much was spent on contracts with MITIE in each year since 2008.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have a contract with MITIE and has not incurred any expenditure with this organisation.

Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change spent £25,000 on its electronic press cuttings service during the 12 months period ending March 2013. The equivalent expenditure in the 12 months April 2010 to March 2011 was £80,000.
	The Department does not record expenditure on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines separately from overall expenditure on publications which includes the cost of the Department's own publications as well as purchased publications of all types. It would incur disproportionate costs to scrutinise all publication transactions to identify relevant amounts.

Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) records the ill health absence for its staff on a quarterly basis. The average working days lost per pay grade, for each of the past four quarters for which data is available, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Pay Grade June 2012 September 2012 December 2012 March 2013 
			 AO 8.2 6.3 1 8.7 
			 EO 8.3 5.2 5.1 5.9 
			 HEO 3.8 3.2 3 3.5 
			 SEO 4.2 3.5 2.9 8.7 
			 Grade 7 2.2 2.1 1.7 3.2 
			 Grade 6 2.2 2.4 2.1 0.7 
			 SCS 1.7 0.8 0.1 0.1

Staff

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change spent £553,000 in the 12 months period ending March 2013 with recruitment agencies. The majority of this expenditure represents payment to the individuals employed. We are unable to separately identify the element retained by the recruitment agency as fees. This varies from case to case and the Department contracts on the basis of a total hourly or daily fee.
	The Department made no fees to outplacement agencies and we use the Civil Service Transition Service to provide our redeployment support.
	£1.3 million was spent on staff training and development in the 12 months period ending March 2013.

Vacancies

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's vacancy rate was in 2012-13; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2013-14.

Gregory Barker: The vacancy rate for the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2012-13 was 14.03% and the assumed rate for 2013-14 is 5%.

World War I: Anniversaries

Keith Simpson: To ask the honourable Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners what plans the Church of England has to commemorate the First World War and the role of military chaplains.

Tony Baldry: The Church of England is represented on the Government’s First World War Commemorations Advisory Group by the Dean of Salisbury. The Dean and the Church of England have been in contact with the Assistant Chaplain-General and Archdeacon for the army to discuss commemorations. It is our understanding that specific commemorations relating to the role of military chaplains will be managed by regiments and corps rather than centrally by the Church of England. Military Chaplains will of course be remembered and commemorated alongside all those who gave their lives and service during the great war.
	The Church of England and Westminster Abbey are planning alongside the Government and other partners a number of commemorations the first of which will be a number of candlelit vigils across the country with the participation of the other faith communities, ending at 11.00 pm on 4 August 2014–100 years after war was declared and reflecting Sir Edward Grey’s famous remark that “the lamps are going out all over Europe”.
	The Liturgical Commission of the Church of England has assembled resources to assist parish churches both in sharing in the planned vigil and also for use throughout the several years of commemoration. The Church Buildings Council of the Church of England is working with the Imperial War Museum on a number of initiatives to help congregations and the wider community engage with war memorial heritage in churches.